Adapter unit for electric wiring systems



Oct. 1, 1946. J. F. OBRIEN 2,408,443

' ADAPTER U NIT FOR ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEMS Filed Dec; 31, 1945. 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 lNV NTOR ;& Wfi m Oct. 1, 1946. v "J.F. BR|EN v 2,403,442

ADAPTER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 31, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D @gib'. 5 \9 o mh 1 INVENTOR v '28 I TO NEY Patented Oct. 1, 1946 UNITED STAT ADAPTER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEMS Joseph F. OBriemJersey City, N. assignor to John B. Pierce Foundation,

New. York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application December 31, 1943, Serial No. 516,347

" 7 Claims. (01. 173-230) This invention relates to electric wiring devices, and particularly to adapters by means of which a standard form of outlet fixture may be employed in a wiring system of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 398,030, filed June 14', 1941, which has matured into Patent No. 2,351,631, issued June 20, 1944. Such wiring system embodies a succession of standardized conductor units, electrically and mechanically interconnected in seriatim to provide a wiring system of any desired length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit capable of electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatim; with other units. In such unit may be incorporated any form of standard outlet fixture which may have special attributes as desired, such as locking means for holding the attachment plug of an electrical accessory against accidental removal. A standard Hubbell twist-lock fixture is typical of those specialized commercial fixtures which may be employed in the present invention, although it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to association with any one type of outlet fixture. r

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a hollow housing or internal capacity as to receive, completely within itself, the desired outlet fixture. Removably associated with said housing, to provide a closure for the otherwise open rear thereof, is a closure,

end and a female end for association with the complementary ends of the adjacent units of the wiring system.

Said closure has its inner surface shaped to receive and position a conductor block comprising a suitably formed plate of insulation mate-- rial, on the bottom of which are the desired plurality of electricity conductors, preferably of fiat cross section intermediate their ends for firm securement to the underside of the plate. At their respective opposite ends are terminals for connection with the terminals of the adjacent wiring units.

On the opposite face of saidconductor plate are terminals of suitable shape, mechanically and electrically connected to the aforementioned conductors by rivets or other appropriate means. Each of said terminals has an upwardly extend-'- ing post arranged for connection with a corresponding terminal member of the outlet fixture to be used therewith.

Theparts are so arranged that the outlet fixe cap member of such' turemay be supported upon the conductor block, and its respective terminals secured to the upwardly extending posts of the terminals of said conductor block. By aperturing said upwardly extending posts,the screws with which outlet fixture terminals are conventionally equipped, may be passed through the apertured posts to secure them to the terminals of the outlet fixture.

tion of away to disclose the so correlated with the housing as to form a male The conductor block and the outlet fixture may be assembled and dropped into position within the housing, whereupon the closure of the housing, when positioned and secured, accurately locates the outlet and conductor block assembly within the housing in registry with a suitable opening through the outer wall of the hollow housing. f

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. 1 v

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of. the invention, with the wall of the housing shown in section to disclose the structure therein;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3

is a .bottom v ew of the unit with a porthe closure plate of the housing broken electricity conductors on the underside of the conductor block;

- Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is, a bottom on lines 4-4 view ofthe outlet fixture positioned within the housing, with the bottom plate of the fixture removed to show the electricity conductors of such fixture; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective of the completed structure, showing the relative association of the elements thereof. Referring to the drawings, theillustrated embodiment of the invention comprises'a hollow} l0, aclosure ll therefor, a conductor block l2 and an outlet fixture I4 associated therewith. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the closure I I preferably fits within the side walls of the housing [0 and receives and supports the conductor block l2.

The cap l0 andclosure H are so configurated as to provide a male end l5 and female socket I6 respectively complementing a female socket and male end of wiring units I! and I8, shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Conductor'block [2, see Fig. 6, includes a base 26, preferably molded of insulation material such as: Bakelitefand the like; and in spaced relationship On one face, illustratively the underside of said base 'are the desired plurality of concap member ductor unit, whereby a series of units may be electrically interconnected in conjugate relationship.

The upper face of the block Zll has suitable upstanding side walls Zila, 2%, see Fig. 6, and car ries lugs usually corresponding I in number to the number of conductors.

The respective lugs 24%, 25;?6 arepreferably.

stampings of relatively heavy brass or copper, and have a base portion and an upstanding post 22a, 25a and 26a, respectively. A rivet passing through a lug, the base 28, and a conductor,

electrically connects said lug to the conductor and fixes the lugs and conductor securely on opposite sides of the base Zll.

As appears in Figs. 4 and 6, the upstanding wall formations 2?, 2B and 29, SE! at the ends of the closure ii operate to separate the terminals at the ends of the conductors 2!, 22, 23 by dechannels within which said terminals are individually confined. Centrally of the plate H are relatively lower walls, 3! 32, see Fig. 4, which, per saprovide a surface upon which the conductor block l2 may be supported, The plate H is also provided with insulating walls which, being positioned between adjacent conductors, form electrically isolated chambers for the respective conductors.

The outlet fixture M is typical of any standard commercial unit supporting within a block of insulation material two or more contacts for connection to the blades of an attachment plug. The illustrated fixture It is a three-contact terminal, for 220 volt heavy duty service such as is required for portable drills or other power tools employed in industry. 1

Such outletfixtures have their respective contacts arranged for connection to power leads by means of bus-bars, as 33, 3'4, 35, respectively terminating in vertical connection surfaces with which it is likewise conventional to employ binding screws, as 33a, 34a, 35a,'to secure electricity conductors thereto.

Pursuant to the present invention, Vertical posts 24a, 25a, Eta'of the lugs 24, 25, 26 are positioned to fit outside of, and in contact with, the vertical connectionsurfaces of the respective busbars of the outlet fixture. By providing a suit able aperture through each of the said vertical posts, said apertures registering with the screwthreaded apertures in the bus-bars of the outlet fixture, the screws thereof, ordinarily employed to connect power-source leads to said terminals may be passed through the apertures of the respective posts 24a, 25a, 26a and into the connection terminals of the outlet fixture, thereby serving to electrically connect the terminals of such fixture with the conductors of the unit, and to support and secure the outlet fixture to the connection block l2.

Frequently, see Fig. 4, the body parts of electric outlet fixtures are secured together by means of rivets 38 which pass through the body and attach to a metal plate 31 on the underside thereof. To eliminate any possibility of short-circuit of such a metal plate with the respective conductors of the conductor block, the walls 20a and 20b act as spacers which, by engaging the bottom ofthe body of fixture 14, support the same clearably above the conductors of the conductor block.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made provided they do not depart from the scope of the claims,

I claim:

1. A unit of an electric Wiring system embodying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatim, comprising a conductor block having electricity conductors disposed on one face thereof in mutually insulated; spaced relationship and having termirials extending from each end of said block, electrically conductive lugs disposed on the opposite face of said conductor block and mechanically and electrically interconnected with said conductors, an outlet fixture having connection terminals mechanically and electrically connected to said lugs; a cap member to removably receive said interconnected fixture and conductor block, and a closure member for said cap, said closure member supporting said conductor block in operative position, and having spaced longitudinally extending walls at each end to provide channels for individually receiving the extending terminals of said conductors, and having, intermediate its ends, spaced longitudinallyextending walls to provide channels for individually receiving the said electricity conductors;

2. A unit of an electrical wiring system emlac-dying conductor units arranged for electric and mechanical interconnection in seriaiim; said unit comprising a housing having an open bo tom and openings at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom; a closure member for the open bottom of said housing; a block of electrically insulating material provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; electrical conductors disposed in said grooves respectively; posts of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged to connect with said electrical conductors respectively; electrical means disposed upon said insulating block; and electrical terminals carried by said outlet means andccnn'e'ct'ed respectively with the contact elements of said outlet means, said electrical tcrminals being arranged to electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating blocl'r,.said outlet means and the body portions of said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors extending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

- 3. A unit of an electrical wiring system einbod-ying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in 'seriatim; said unit comprising a housing having an open bottom and opening at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom; a closure member for. the open bottom of said housing. said closure member being' provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; a block of electrically insulating material provided at its bottom face with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends mating respectively with said grooves of said closure member; electrical conductors disposed insaid grooves re spectively; posts of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged to connect with said electrical conductors respectively; electrical outlet mean disposed upon-said insulating block; and

electrical terminals carried by said outlet means and connected respectively with the contact elements of said outlet means, said electrical terminals being arranged to electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating block, said outlet means and the body portionof said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors extending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

4. A unit of an electrical wiring system embodying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatiin; said unit comprising a housing having an open bottom and openings at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom, said housing at its said opposite ends respectively having male and female formations thereat; a closure member for the open bottom of said housing; a block of electrically insulating material provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; electrical conductors disposed in said grooves respectively; posts of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged cal conductors respectively; electrical outlet means disposed upon said insulating block; and electrical terminals carried by said outlet means and connected respectively with the, contact elements of said outlet means, said electrical terminals being arranged to electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating block, said outlet means and the body portions of said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors extending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

5. A unit of an electrical wiring system embodying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatirn; said unit comprising a housing having an open bottom and openings at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom; a closure member for the open bottom of said housing, a block of electrically insulating material provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; grooves respectively; posts of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged to connect with said electrical conductors respectively; electrical out let means disposed upon said insulating block; and electrical terminal-s carried by said outlet means and connected respectively with the contact elements of said outlet means, said electrical terminals being arranged to mechanically frictionally and electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating block, said outlet means and the body portions of said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors exto connect with said electrielectrical conductors disposed in said;

tending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

6. A unit of an electrical wiring system embodying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatim; said unit comprising a housing having an open bottom and openings at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom; a closure member for the open bottom of said housing, said closure member being provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; a block of electrically insulating material provided at bottom face with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends mating respectively with said grooves of said closure member; electrical conductors disposed in said grooves respectively; posts of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged to connect with said electrical conductors respectively; electrical outlet means disposed upon said insulating block; and electrical terminals carried by said outlet means and connected respectively with the contact elements of said outlet means, said electrical terminals being arranged to mechanically frictionally and electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating block, said outlet means and the body portions of said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors extending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

7. A unit of an electrical wiring system embodying conductor units arranged for electrical and mechanical interconnection in seriatim; said unit comprising a housing having an open bottom and openings at its opposite ends adjacent its open bottom, said housing at its said opposite ends respectively having male and female formations thereat; a closure member for the open bottom of said housing; a block of electrically insulating material provided with parallelly arranged grooves extending from its opposing ends; electrical conductors disposed in said grooves respectively; post of electrical conducting material secured to said insulating block and having extensions arranged to connect with said electrical conductors respectively; electrical outlet means disposed upon said insulating block; and electrical terminals carried by said outlet means and connected respectively with the cOn-,

tact elements of said outlet means, said electrical terminals being arranged to mechanically frictionally and electrically connect with said posts respectively; said cover enclosing said insulating block, said outlet means and the body portions of said electrical conductors, the opposite end portions of said electrical conductors extending through the said opposite end openings of the cover.

JOSEPH F. OBRIEN.

its 

